Bottle crate structure



Dec. 22, 1931.

F. H. HUDEPOHL BOTTLE CRATE STRUCTURE Filed May 18, 1929 INVENTOR. 4 Maia ATTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 22, 1931 FRED H. HUDEPOHL, OF ST. BERNARD, OHIO BOTTLE CRATE STRUCTURE Application filed May 18,

My invention relates to boxes or crates, and more especially to crates for storing and transporting filled or empty milk bottles. The object is to provide a simpler and less expensive support for the bottle-supporting wires, as well as a very simple means for securing such support to the walls of the crate. Other objects will appear in the course of the following description.

m I accomplish the above objects by the device illustrated, for example, in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a milkbottle crate embodying my improvement,

certain parts of the crate being broken away,

for clearness;

Fig. 2 is a detail plan of one of the elements of which my invention is composed;

Fig. 3 is a detail side elevation of the same; and

Fig. 4 is a detail end elevation of the same.

As is usual in the construction of milk crates, the ends 1 and sides 2 are of wood, and may be secured together at their ends,

forming the corners of the crate, in any well known manner. Upper longitudinal wires 3 and upper transverse wires 1, with their ends secured, respectively, in the ends 1 and sides 2, are as usual in milk crate construc- 3 tion, and only end portions of these are shown, as these form no essential part of my present invention.

The lower longitudinal wires 5 are arranged in pairs, each pair to support a longitudinal row of bottles; the rows being separated, above, by the longitudinal wires 3, and the bottles in a row being separated by the transverse wires 4,, above, and by trans verse wires 6 below. This arrangement also 4 is similar to many that are well known in the art. Also, it is common to reinforce either the longitudinal supporting wires 5, or the transverse wires 6, or both, by some kind of transverse beam, many kinds of which are Q5 to be found in the prior art. My present invention is directed to the formation of such a transverse reinforcing beam, and to the fastening thereof in the crate.

This beam 7 is shown in'detail in Figs. 2,

5 3 and 4, and its relation to the wires and the 1929. Serial No. 364,276.

crate walls is shown in Fig. 1. It comprises the inverted channel 8, preferably having its depth considerably greater than its width, and having through its vertical flanges 9 pairs of holes 10. At the ends of this channel, ears 11 project upward, each havingthrough it a hole 12. These ears 11 are considerably wider than the web of the channel 8, which broadens with curved sides, beginning some distance in from the ears 11, out to the sides of the ears, at 13. The vertical members 9 of the-channel 8 curve outwardly with the curvature of the sides of its top.

heir ends 14 are curved up to the junctions of the'sides of the ears 11 with the top portions 13.

' The disposition of the elements of this beam 7 as just described makes it appropriately strong, not only throughout its length but at the junction of its channel 8 with its terminal ears 11, which are amply wide to afford a firm bearing of each end of the beam against the inner side ofthe crate wall 2, as shown in Fig. l. The longitudinal supporting wires 5 pass through the openings 10 of the verticalmembers 9 of the channel 8, and the transverse lower partition wires 6 pass through the openings 12 of the ears and "form the sole means of attaching the beam 7, at its ends, to the crate sides 2. The bottle supporting wires 5 prevent the beam 7 from turning on the transverse wires 6.

An important advantage of this formation of the beam 7 is that it may be manufactured from a simple rectangular blank of sheet metal, which has-the holes 10 and 12 punched in it, and then by a very simple forming operation, is bent to form the channel 8 and the cars; 11. In this operation, the broadening at 13, with curved sides, and the upward curvature of the ends '14 of the vertical members 9 of the channel, is accomplished incidentally to the upward bending of the cars 11 and the downward bending of the vertical members 9; and the holes 10 of the latter are alined, as are the holes 12'of the cars 11, as a result of correct location when the blank is punched prior to the forming operation.

Therefore, the first cost and the cost of -j maintaining and setting of a special blanking die are avoided, the punching is a very simple operation, and the with a very simple die, in one operation. In the attachment of the beam 7 to the sides 2, rivets are eliminated, since the transverse wires 6, each headed at one end and having its other end spun after insertion through the crate sides 2, as is usual in crate construction, perform the function of holdin the beams 7 in place as regards upward, ownward or horizontal displacement; and the longitudinal bottle supporting wires 5, which are reinforced by the beams 7, securely fix these beams as regards rotation of the beams thus having the single support, on the Wires 6, at each end. The beams 7 are made amply long to fit their ears 11 tightly against the sides 2; for which purpose care is taken that the ears 11 do not incline over toward the channel but rather incline outward, so as to spring in slightly as the beam is forced between the sides 2. r

In Fig. 1, three such beams 7 are shown in the crate, but some crates are made with butone beam, at the middle. This depends upon the strength desired, as well as upon the size of the crate. Modifications in this, as well as in other respects, may occur in practice.

WVhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a bottle crate construction, in combination with the four walls of the crate and bottle-supporting wires with their ends fixed in opposite walls, a partition wire spaced upward from said supporting wires with its ends fixed in the other opposite walls, a beam comprising a channel extending below and substantially parallel with said partition wire and comprising ears at the ends of said channel extending up from said channel at its. ends and bearing against the adjacent crate walls, said partition wire extending through said ears and said supportin wires extending through the vertical mem ers of said channel.

2. In a bottle crate construction, in combination with the four walls of the crate and bottle-supporting wires with their ends fixed in opposite walls, a partition wire spaced upward from said supporting wires with its ends fixed in the other opposite walls, a beam forming is done comprising an inverted channel extending be.

low and substantially parallel with said partition wire and comprising ears upstanding from the ends of the top of said channel and bearing against the adjacent crate walls,

partition wire extending through said ears and said supporting wires extending through the vertical members of said channel.

, FRED II. HUDEPOHL.

said 

